Rubber-dam clamp



(No-M06611 G; A. VIBROUI'LLET; I RUBBER DAM-CLAMP; No. 506.098.- Patented "Oot. 189.3

UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

GEORGES A. BROUILLET, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

RU BBER-DAM CLAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,098, dated October 3, 1893.

Application filed February 14-, 1893. Serial No. 462,809. (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Gnonens A. BROUILLET, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rubber-Dam Clamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in rubber dam clamps, and it has for its object the production of a simple and inexpensive clamp capable of being easily applied to the tooth to be operated upon and which will not interfere with the operators movements and will give E111? (pest possible exposure to the cavity to be A further object is to provide a clamp of this nature in which the rubber dam can be applied after the clamp has been positioned.

The invention consists of a clamp formed from one piece of metal and having two corresponding springarms each of approximately U-shape and provided with pointed or reduced ends.

The invention further consists of a clamp composed of two corresponding spring arms united at their inner rear ends and connected in front by a curved cross-bar, said arms being pointed or reduced at their ends and slightly curved in front to form an enlarged opening for exposing the cavity, an apertured lip being projected from the inner ends of said spring arms, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:-Figure 1 is an enlarged View in perspective of my improved clamp. Fig. 2 is afront view thereof. Fig. 3 is a rear View. Fig. 4 is a top plan view.

Referring to the drawings, A designates my improved clamp as an entirety, and a two corresponding spring arms which extend from a plate or solid portion a constituting the inner or rear end of said arms. This plate a is bent or curved inward, as at (1 and its edge is slightly curved or reduced in thickness so as to form two end points a designed to bear against the rear surface of the tooth to which the clamp is applied. From the lower edge of this plate projects a short lip b having a hole or aperture b for reception of one end of a pair of dental pliers, not shown. This lip is preferably struck up from the metalcomposingtheclamp. Thespringarms are extended downward a suitable distance and then bent outward and curved upward, presenting in end view an approximate U- shape. These arms are connected together in front by a curved cross-bar or bridge B, and from this point to their upper inwardly bent ends 19 the arms are slightly curved outward, as at if, to form an enlarged front openof the cavity to be filled. The extreme upper endsb of these spring arms are pointed and bent inward at about right angles and are also bent toward each other. The clamp is readily applied by inserting one end of a pair of pliers through the apertured lip, and bearing the other end thereof against the inner side of the cross-bar or bridge, forcing the pointed or reduced endsof the clamp apart. The advantages of my invention are apparent to those skilled in the art of dentistry. The clamp is especially designed for use in operating on the twenty anterior teeth, but can be used on all. .The clamp is so small that it can be first adjusted to the tooth and the rubber dam afterward applied. When a tooth is badly decayed at its neck and the gum covers a portion of the cavity, the operator, with the aid of a local anasthetic, can place the clamp in the gum above the cavity and then pass the rubber dam over it without pain to the patient and with great ease to the operator.

This improved clamp is simple and inexpensive and the spring possessed by the arms by forming them in the manner described insures a firm grip on the tooth and enables the clamp to be widely opened so that a firm hold can be had on any of the teeth.

I claim as my invention 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a rubber dam clamp formed from one continuous piece of metal and having two corresponding arms connectedv together at their inner, rear ends and bent or curved each into approximately U-shape, the outer ends of said arms being pointed as set forth.

ing 0 to permit of the best possible exposure 2. A rubber dam clamp formed from one continuous piece of metal and having two corresponding arms connected together at their inner, rear ends, and bent or curved each into approximately U-shape and also curved outwardly near their upper ends to form an enlarged front opening, said arms being pointed at their said upper ends and the crossbar connecting said arms beneath said opening, as set forth.

3. As an improved article of manufacture the rubber-dam clamp herein-described, composed of a plate having reduced points, an apertured lip extending from said plate, two

corresponding bent spring arms each of approximately U-shape and curved in front to form an enlarged opening and havingupper pointed angular ends, and the curved cross bar connecting said arms, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGES A. BROUILLET.

Witnesses:

CONRAD BUTTER, JOHN D. MGLAUGHLIN. 

